Andymatic

Suburb Promises Sex-Offender Free Zone

(via Metafilter)

The sales pitch for a planned subdivision promises safety: criminal background checks for homeowners and, guaranteed, no convicted sex offenders. Do you think it should be legal to build and maintain a subdivision that would not allow any sex offenders to live there? It’s a concept that might prove right for the times, said first-time developer Clayton Isom, one of three partners in a company that’s creating Milwaukee Ridge on the outskirts of this West Texas city.

What about drug dealers? Drunk drivers? I wonder how far this can be stretched.

Eventually we’ll have totally criminal-free neighborhoods – except for white-collar crime of course.

I find the battle between privacy rights and protecting children fascinating because sex offenders aren’t considered to have served their time – they are branded for life. And no, I’m not taking into account repeat offender rates. I just think it is a big legal morass.

And aren’t most molestations from family members? What then?

Other point to the idea of burbclaves.

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5 responses to “Suburb Promises Sex-Offender Free Zone”

  1. Jonah Avatar
    Jonah

    Hmmm I have to agree again.. while not having sex offenders around is a good thing, we have an even bigger problem on our hands with all the drug dealers around.

    Hell, I can remember hearing about ice and crystal meth when i was in intermediate school but now it’s everywhere here, especially in the gay community… and I think that’s a LARGER problem than sex offenders…

    Reply
  2. Jonah Avatar
    Jonah

    Oh by the way.. nothing wrong with having toast in the morning 😉

    Reply
  3. Terrance Avatar
    Terrance

    I dunno. I go back and forth on this. On the one hand, I think people who have served their time should be left alone. On the other hand, I have a kid.

    We actually looked at the sex-offender database for our old neighborhood, and the neighborhood where our house is being built. No surprise, the new neighborhood has a dearth of sex offenders, where the old neighborhood had a glut of them.

    Reply
  4. steve Avatar
    steve

    You have a great blog. I definitely appreciate the perspective that you have. I do believe that if you have done your time, you have done your time. It is like the scarlet letter. Whether it is the license plates that show those who have had a drunk driving conviction or as one legislator has proposed in my state a license plate for sex offenders- in the color of pink, where does it end?

    When is the past the past? We all have a responsiblity to protect and educate children. Sexual crimes against children is horrible. From my perespective, the offenders should be chemically castrated.

    Anyway thanks for making me think. I am a recovering evangelical Republican, who has become a liberal, spiritual guy. Thanks for providing help in the reformation.

    Reply
  5. palochi Avatar
    palochi

    I’m waiting for someone in Texas to start pitching subdivisions that are “homosexual-free zones.” Of course, the decor and local dining would be atrocious.

    Reply

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